Destined

"What did you say?"

Luo Zishang was somewhat bewildered: "What did Shen Ming do to the person?"

"He... carried him away." The guard knelt in the carriage, reporting the situation to Luo Zishang and Fan Yu. Fan Yu and Luo Zishang exchanged glances, both feeling rather confused.

They had never encountered someone so unpredictable.

When someone came to offer a sincere apology, shouldn't the proper procedure be to stop the carriage, engage in mutual lamentations, and eventually reach a harmonious resolution? At the very least, one should publicly reprimand Chen Mao Chun or engage in a cold war. But to not even give the other party a chance to speak, directly have them beaten and carried away in the street—what kind of maneuver was this?

"What... what should we do?"

Fan Yu spoke instinctively. Luo Zishang, having regained some composure, immediately responded: "Your Highness need not panic. Since he's been carried away, let it be. Your Highness should proceed with recommending Xiong Ying as planned."

Fan Yu nodded without further comment. Seeing that the morning court session was approaching, Luo Zishang took his leave and withdrew. After Luo Zishang departed, Fan Yu began putting on his court attire. As he dressed, he seemed lost in thought. The eunuch Liu Shan, observing Fan Yu's expression, cautiously inquired: "Your Highness appears troubled?"

"Hmm."

Fan Yu acknowledged. After a moment's consideration, he asked: "What do you think of the Imperial Tutor?"

Liu Shan smiled obsequiously: "This humble servant is but a lowly eunuch. How could I possess Your Highness's discerning judgment?"

"I'm ordering you to speak."

Fan Yu's tone carried displeasure. Liu Shan quickly responded: "This servant believes Lord Luo is exceptionally intelligent."

Exceptionally intelligent.

Fan Yu's heart sank. Noticing his expression, Liu Shan hurriedly added: "Your Highness, Lord Luo is your Imperial Tutor. You're tied together like grasshoppers on a string. His intelligence makes him a sharp blade in your hand—you should be pleased."

Fan Yu glanced at Liu Shan and muttered: "You castrated lot probably accepted his silver, always speaking well of him, didn't you?"

"Your Highness is the future Sage Emperor. You're just teasing this humble servant. Whether I'm loyal or treacherous, Your Highness knows perfectly well in your heart."

Liu Shan's flattering words finally lifted Fan Yu's spirits somewhat. He nodded and said sternly: "If you suspect someone, don't employ them; if you employ them, don't suspect them. I understand this clearly."

After speaking, Fan Yu finished dressing and proceeded directly to the main hall.

As dawn broke, everyone gathered outside the main hall. Gu Jiusi approached Ye Shi'an and whispered: "Is everything prepared?"

Ye Shi'an affirmed, then added: "I investigated that Lan Shangming you recommended. There are no issues."

"He's upright and incorruptible," Gu Jiusi said quietly. "This time we're targeting the Crown Prince's faction. His Majesty will certainly weigh his options carefully and probably wants someone uninvolved in factional struggles. So don't mention Lan Shangming today. Wait until the Crown Prince proposes his candidate, then voice your opposition. Each time the Crown Prince nominates someone, you should impeach them. Eventually, His Majesty will make the selection himself. Then you can submit Lan Shangming's name from your list of candidates. Make sure the other candidates have some disqualifying aspects—His Majesty will naturally choose Lan Shangming."

Ye Shi'an, currently serving in the Secretariat, found such matters convenient to handle. He nodded: "Understood."

Then he looked at Gu Jiusi and asked: "Where's Shen Ming?"

"Oh," Gu Jiusi turned to look toward the palace gate, spotting Shen Ming rushing over. He tilted his chin upward: "Here he comes.""He didn't come with you?" Ye Shi'an looked somewhat puzzled. Gu Jiusi smiled and said, "Just now, Chen Mao Chun blocked my path trying to perform the 'bearing brambles to plead guilty' routine. I had Shen Ming carry him away."

"Then he'll probably face impeachment."

Ye Shi'an frowned, while Gu Jiusi appeared completely unconcerned. "Anyway, we're leaving the Eastern Capital today. Let them impeach as they please."

Gu Jiusi had specifically requested Shen Ming's assistance in the Yellow River restoration project, which had already received Fan Xuan's approval. Ye Shi'an gave Gu Jiusi a disapproving look. Just then, Shen Ming hurried over as the eunuch stood outside the door. At the command, everyone returned to their positions and entered in order.

After Fan Xuan took his golden throne, he asked, "We heard there was an incident at yesterday's Deity Pleasing Ceremony?"

He then looked up at Gu Jiusi. "Minister Gu, are you alright?"

"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern," Gu Jiusi replied with a pale smile. "Your servant is fine, but it was a close call—I nearly didn't get to see Your Majesty today."

"Which official was responsible for the area where the incident occurred?"

No one spoke. Fan Xuan's gaze fell upon Zhou Gaolang, who stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, it was the Southern City Army Commander, Lord Chen Mao Chun."

"Where is Chen Mao Chun?"

Fan Xuan scanned the room, but no one responded. He couldn't help but laugh in frustration. "What? He dares not attend the morning court?"

"Your Majesty," Luo Zishang stepped forward calmly, "Your servant heard that today, Lord Shen Ming assaulted Lord Chen in the street and then took him to an unknown location."

Everyone was taken aback. Fan Xuan frowned, and Gu Jiusi exclaimed in surprise, "So it was Lord Chen who blocked my carriage with weapons today?!"

He then looked at Luo Zishang with admiration. "Lord Luo is truly remarkable. I didn't see any other carriages or officials on the road, and I didn't even know it was Lord Chen myself, yet Lord Luo already knew."

Luo Zishang stiffened at Gu Jiusi's retort. Gu Jiusi stepped forward, knelt, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, on my way to court today, someone blocked the road with weapons. Having just survived an assassination attempt yesterday, I assumed it was another troublemaker and asked Lord Shen to help drive the person away. Lord Shen and I have never interacted with Lord Chen before and failed to recognize him. That was my fault. Lord Shen was only helping. If Your Majesty wishes to assign blame, I am willing to take full responsibility."

"Your Majesty!"

Shen Ming finally caught on and quickly stepped forward. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your servant only acted because the man was carrying a weapon on his back and appeared aggressive. I acted in the heat of the moment. I was the one who struck him. I beg for Your Majesty's mercy!"

The two played off each other perfectly, leaving the Crown Prince's faction fuming.

Weapons? What weapons? Since when did carrying brambles on one's back count as a weapon?!

But no one dared to point out that Chen Mao Chun had been carrying brambles. Gu Jiusi had just implied that Luo Zishang had sent Chen Mao Chun by suggesting Luo Zishang knew too much. If they now revealed they knew such details, it would only make them look more suspicious.

Listening to Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming, Fan Xuan was also perplexed. Why would Chen Mao Chun attack Gu Jiusi? Was last night's chaos not enough?

"Enough," Fan Xuan said irritably. "We think it's time someone else took his position."Fan Xuan initiated this topic, and those on Zhou Gaolang's side voiced their support one after another, while the Crown Prince's faction remained silent. Fan Xuan fixed his gaze on Fan Yu. Luo Zishang shot Fan Yu a meaningful look, and after receiving it, Fan Yu took a deep breath and finally stepped forward, saying, "Father, I too believe that Lord Chen is unfit to remain in his position. It would be better to recommend someone new."

Upon hearing this, Fan Xuan's expression visibly improved. He nodded and said, "Well said, my son. Do you have anyone in mind?"

Fan Yu fell silent. Luo Zishang looked up at him, and Fan Yu pursed his lips. When he spoke again, he mentioned a name different from what Luo Zishang had instructed: "Huang Hong, captain of the Sixth Squad of the Southern City Army."

Luo Zishang was taken aback for a moment, but soon seemed to understand something and slowly smiled. He lowered his gaze and paid no further attention to the Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, Gu Jiusi observed all of this closely and couldn't help but feel overjoyed.

Huang Hong was a trusted confidant of the Crown Prince, but his reputation was tarnished with misconduct. As soon as the officials from the Censorate heard the name, they immediately protested, "Your Majesty, this is inappropriate!"

Thus, the court session turned into a heated debate that lasted the entire morning, and by the time it adjourned, no decision had been reached.

Gu Jiusi, Shen Ming, and Ye Shi'an left the main hall together. Maintaining an air of refined gentlemanly demeanor, they walked to a secluded corner, where Gu Jiusi and Shen Ming burst into laughter. Gu Jiusi leaned against the wall, laughing as he said, "That idiot..."

"Actually recommended Huang Hong..."

Ye Shi'an nervously glanced around and said with a hint of disapproval, "Keep your voice down."

"Let me laugh it off first," Gu Jiusi waved his hand. "I can't talk seriously until I'm done laughing."

Ye Shi'an had no choice but to watch as Shen Ming and Gu Jiusi continued laughing beside him. When the two finally calmed down, Gu Jiusi turned to Ye Shi'an with a serious expression and said, "I'll go bid farewell to His Majesty now. In a little while, I'll head straight back to my residence and set off. While I'm away, I’ll need you to look after the Gu residence for me."

"Don't worry," Ye Shi'an nodded. "I'll take good care of your parents."

"There's one more thing," Gu Jiusi suddenly remembered, furrowing his brow as he spoke to Ye Shi'an. "Help me investigate Luo Zishang again."

"Again?" Ye Shi'an was somewhat puzzled. They had already investigated Luo Zishang twice before. Gu Jiusi hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "I want to find out who his biological parents are. Go back to Yangzhou and check what happened in the city the year he was born..."

Gu Jiusi pursed his lips, hesitated again, then leaned closer to Ye Shi'an and whispered in his ear, "See if my father or my uncle had any romantic affairs at that time."

Ye Shi'an widened his eyes, clearly shocked. Gu Jiusi also felt somewhat embarrassed and said quietly, "Don't ask too many questions. There's another matter involved. See if you can find out."

"What is it?"

"What exactly does Luo Zishang want to do?"

Gu Jiusi's expression turned cold. Ye Shi'an looked confused, and Shen Ming was equally bewildered. Gu Jiusi explained, "In the past, we always thought Luo Zishang wanted to assist the Crown Prince, control him, and then, like he did with the Wang family in Yangzhou, use the emperor to command the nobles. But think about it—if he were truly devoted to supporting the Crown Prince, why would he be so indifferent to Chen Mao Chun's career? As one of the Crown Prince's few chess pieces in the military, how important is Chen Mao Chun to the Crown Prince? Could he not understand that?"

"He simply doesn't care about the Crown Prince."Gu Jiusi spoke calmly, "If he doesn't care about the Crown Prince, then why did he come to the Eastern Capital?"

"I understand," Ye Shi'an nodded. "I'll investigate."

"I'll also send people to look into it again, but I don't want to alert the family about the first matter. I can only rely on you."

Gu Jiusi patted Ye Shi'an's shoulder. "Alright, I'm leaving."

After saying this, he turned to leave, but Ye Shi'an called out to him, "Jiusi."

Gu Jiusi looked back at him. Ye Shi'an pursed his lips and finally said, "If it turns out he truly shares blood ties with you, what will you do?"

As he spoke, Ye Shi'an raised his head to look at him, clenched his fist, and said coldly, "I have a blood feud with him."

Gu Jiusi stared at him for a moment, then chuckled softly.

"Ye Shi'an," he said somewhat helplessly, "have you read so many books that your brain's gone numb? Even if he shares the Gu Family bloodline, so what? Blood ties without affection are worthless. Rest assured," he said seriously, "you're my brother. Your enemy is my enemy. If that trash really is of Gu Family blood, then it's even more reason for me to clean house to avoid tarnishing our reputation."

With that, he stepped closer to Ye Shi'an. Having grown quickly these past two years, he now stood half a head taller. He raised his hand and flicked Ye Shi'an's forehead. "If you keep misunderstanding me like this, I'll beat you to death."

"The kind where you're beaten to death alive."

Author's note:

Q: How do you treat your wife?

Gu Jiusi: Dote on her

Q: How do you treat your brothers?

Gu Jiusi: Dote on them too

Q: Then what's the difference between wife and brothers?

Gu Jiusi: I can beat my brothers to death alive, while my wife can beat me to death alive.

The brothers say: He doesn't dote on us at all, really.